


Let's Play Twister, Let's Play Risk

by pandabob



Series: Agents of the Free [3]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: 2012-2013 NHL Season, Adoption, Geno's POV, Getting Together, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:20:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24424141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandabob/pseuds/pandabob
Summary: When Sid asks for help Geno is never going to say no even if it makes life harder for him, makes it harder to hide how he really feels about his Captain.###Or Geno's POV on the arrival of Sophie Crosby :D(You probably need to read part one of the series before you read this, or maybe not its up to you)
Relationships: Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin
Series: Agents of the Free [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1652410
Comments: 59
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So much of the story in my head was missing from the original work because that fic was written from Sid's point of view which made Geno's journey very much a mystery. Here I'm going to have fun filling in some of Geno's bits :D
> 
> I'm not sure exactly what will end up here, or when, but I hope that you enjoy what's here. PB.

_Sid: Are you free for dinner? I need your help with something._

_Geno jumped when his phone beeped and smiled at the screen when he saw who it was._

_Geno: Always need eat :D help if can ))_

_Sid: Thanks G, 7?_

_Geno: 7 ))_

Turning into the drive Geno came to a stop and slid down the window to enter the code into the key pad on the gate and then moved forward up the long winding road to Sid’s house, hidden, private, behind the trees. He pulled to a stop behind an unexpected car in the drive trying not to feel disappointed that it wasn’t just the two of them.

Flower was his second favourite person on the team, it wasn’t like he minded spending time with him, he’d just hoped, foolishly, that he was the one that Sid had called for help because he was the only one who could help not just one of a few.

“G” Sid pulled open the door as if he’d been waiting for him but Flower’s head popped up behind him making it clear that no, that wasn’t it, he’d just happened to be letting Flower in when he’d heard the car pull up.

“Sorry I late,”

“You’re not late,” Sid reached out his hand to shake and pulled Geno into a not so quick hug, “Twenty past isn’t late for you,” he grinned bright, eyes wrinkling as he stepped away and Geno shook his head and rolled his eyes dramatically, a grin pulling at his lips.

“You told me half past,” 

“Yes I did,” Sid raised his eyebrows at him, eyes sparkling with mischief, “And now you’re both here right on time for the food.”

They both laughed, loud and happy. Sid knew them both so well that it made perfect sense that he’d tell them different times, one a little early and the other a little late, especially if he really wanted them both here together.

“I’m doing steak,” Sid said as he walked away towards the kitchen, the two of them following behind, “with potatoes and veg, hope that works.”

Geno heard his stomach rumble at the description of dinner and the other two laughed.

“I think that was a seal of approval,” Flower grinned.

“Sit,” Sid waved them towards the stools at the kitchen island and moved to the stove, pulling the cover off the plate holding the steaks and switching on the heat. 

For the next few minutes, while Sid cooked and rested the steaks, shuffled pans of vegetables and pulled a box that looked suspiciously like it had come from the little cake shop that he and Geno had treated themselves at more than once, he never stopped talking. 

First it was a play from the game last night, then a goal from two games ago before he moved on to talking about something he’d seen in a documentary last night and Geno watched, and listened and was almost relieved when he caught Flower’s eye and saw the same look of concern on his face as he felt in his stomach. Shared concern didn’t mean that he was less concerned, quite the opposite probably, but if Flower was feeling it too then at least he wasn’t imagining it. 

Sid could talk; he always had something to say to everyone, but not like this and certainly not with them. This was talking at them not talking too them, it was filling the air with sound rather than conversation and it was turning Geno’s stomach and pulling at his heart.

“Here you go.” Sid put a plate down in front of each of them without actually looking at them and then grabbed his own, sitting down and tucking in without looking up, finally letting a quiet fall in the room but not a comfortable one.

The steak, beautifully cooked, tasted like ash and felt like stones to swallow as Geno sat in the silence. Something was wrong with Sid and there was nothing he found harder that watching his friend, his best friend, suffer without knowing why.

“So,” Flower finally broke the silence, reaching out his hand to touch Sid’s arm and Sid turned his head to look at him as he put the last fork full of potatoes in his mouth.

“You okay?” Geno asked, copying Flower’s actions and feeling suddenly calmer once his hand made contact with Sid’s arm.

“Yeah,” Sid turned his gaze on Geno and sat up a little in his chair, “I am.” He smiled just a little and Flower withdrew his hand, going back to his dinner, but Geno left his where it was, wrapped just a little around Sid’s forearm, and waited for the rest of what he knew Sid had to say to them.

“So,” Sid started and then took a breath and swallowed before he started again. “When I was injured I used to go out some nights, after dark, I liked the quiet and I love the city.” He shrugged and smiled in a way that said ‘you know how it is’ and they both nodded at him. “I met a girl one night.” Geno’s stomach turned over and his foot tapped on the floor. “She was drunk and crying, she’d lost her money and phone, she was on her own, sat on a curb, I helped her get home.”

Warmth flooded through Geno’s body, his lips curling in a smile without any intention, caring Sid, the man who watched out for everyone, who made sure everyone was safe and comfortable, was one of his favourite incarnations of the man who was his Captain, his teammate, his friend.

“She came to a game last week, outside with the fans, she’d come to see me, give me my jacket back.”

The crease lines on Sid’s face and the tension in his shoulders was getting worse and Geno wanted, more than anything, to be able to do something to make this better. Flower clearly felt the same as he put his hand back on Sid’s other arm and squeezed hard enough to make Sid look at him, giving him chance to smile reassuringly at him and Geno felt the tension slip just a little from the muscles under his hand.

“She’s pregnant.”

Flower pulled his hand back and glared at Sid while Geno blinked twice and shook his head, sure that he must have missed something important in what Sid had said because that made no sense.

“You said she was drunk Sid,” Flower spoke, voice level but eyes burning with anger, “You said she was crying and alone, what the fuck were you thinking and,” his voice slowed, emphasising every word, “Do not blame your concussion because that’s bullshit!”

“NO!” Sid shouted in horror, face turning white and Geno’s tightened his grip on his arm, “Shit!” he dropped his head to his arm, just a hairs breadth from Geno’s hand and Geno flinched, only just stalling his movement before he moved his hand to weave his fingers into Sid’s hair in an attempt to make him feel better.

“You need to explain Sid NOW or I’m leaving and I won’t be coming back!” Flower was on his feet by the door, rocking foot to foot and looking for all the world as if he was ready to drop glove with his captain in his own kitchen.

“It’s not mine,” Sid said gently, “At least, not yet.”

“What!” Flower shouted still rocking on his feet.

Sid sat bolt upright in his seat, glaring at Flower, “I did not fuck a drunk woman! I am not a bloody creep!”

Geno squeezed Sid’s arm and he turned to him, angry eyes now welling with tears and face painted with sadness. “I promise G, I wouldn’t.”

“I’m know,” Geno nodded, his chest and his stomach doing something weird inside him at the desperate look in Sid’s eyes, like he really needed to know that he believed him. “You need explain better, Flower heart hurt he think you say you do. We know you not but sound like you say you do.”

“She can’t keep the baby, can’t look after her, she’s asked me to take her, she thinks I’d be good for her.” His voice dropped quieter as Flower sat back in his chair, leaning closer and resting his hand back on his arm, “She thinks I need her as much as she needs me and I think she’s right.”

“Sorry I” Flower started to apologise for his assumptions and Sid shook his head in negation.

“Don’t worry, I’m kind of glad you were so horrified at the idea, I’d hate to think you thought I’d do something like that or that you wouldn’t kill any guy on our team if they had, even me.” Sid tried to smile and flower relaxed, smiling kindly back at him.

“So you get baby?” Geno asked, still feeling a little confused “just baby not mum?”

“Yeah, that’s the plan. Jane wants to know how she is and keep in touch but not be mum. It’ll just be me.” Sid was clearly trying to explain carefully so Geno would fully understand. “It’s crazy as an idea but I really want to do this and I’ll make it work, with hockey and everything hopefully, I promise I won’t let you down.” He glanced back and forth from Geno to Flower looking almost desperate in his need to be believed.

“You never let down,” Geno found the words leaving his mouth before he’d consciously thought them, “that not possible.”

“Thanks G,” Sid closed his eyes and nodded just a little as he looked down at the table.

“He’s right,” Flower spoke, moving his hand to Sid’s cheek and lifting his chin until he was looking at him. “You could not ever let us down Ok?” Flower looked him in the eye and held his gaze until Sid finally nodded, his whole body relaxing, the nerves and the tension drifting from him in every breath until he pulled away from them both and reached for the box on the counter behind them.

“Cheesecake, brownie or cookie?” he flipped open the lid of the box revealing three of Geno’s favourites from the café, “Or just three forks?”

Geno looked at Flower and then they both nodded and laughed, “Forks.”

They spent a few minutes sharing the three desserts, jousting with forks and laughing together until suddenly Geno was struck with a memory of the invite he’d received.

“So what you need? You invite to help; I’m think not just to help with cake.” He grinned and Sid honked out a laugh.

“No the cake was a bribe not the reason.”

“Bribe for what?” Flower questioned.

“I need references, for the adoption, about my character. I don’t want to tell anyone else before it’s done, can’t take their pity if they won’t let me have her, I’ll take their shit and all the horrible things they’ll say when I have her, I don’t need it before.”

Geno felt his anger spike, “People not say bad, I stop if do!”

“I’ll help!” Flower added.

“Thanks,” Sid laughed and Geno tried not to notice the brightness of his eyes and the slight blush of his cheeks. “I know you’ve got my back but would it be possible to get it in writing?”

-+-

“It’s a secret” Sid had said at least four times over the course of them sharing a drink and not quite watching the end of the game that was playing on the TV which had left him with a bit of a problem as to who he could ask for help with his English.

_“I’ve not told your dad,”_ his mum smiled at him, grainy and blocky, from the computer screen. _“He knows I’m keeping something from him so I’d be grateful if you could tell me as soon I can tell him.”_

_“As soon as I have permission,”_ Geno sat back in his seat feeling warm and comfortable as he settled into the conversation, enjoying the ease of it, the soft lilt of Russian, warm and kind from his mother. _“Did you read it? Is it ok?”_

_“I read it, it’s beautiful. Sidney is very lucky to have someone in his life who thinks so highly of him.”_

Geno gulped down the weird feeling that bloomed in his chest, hoping the heat in his cheeks would get lost in the signal.

_“The little pens programme is very relevant to this I think; he has such a rapport with the little ones and the assessor will be able to watch video to see that. The Taylor things are sweet too.”_

_“He took such a chirping when he was caught watching Instant Star on a road trip. He didn’t care though, it was important to Taylor so he wanted to be able to talk to her about it.”_

_“It must be hard for him not to tell Taylor about this.”_

_“It really is, he talked about her a lot when he told us about everything, but he won’t ask her to keep secrets from her parents, he loves her too much for that.”_ He could feel the smile pulling at his lips, one of the things he’d first discovered about Sid, back when he couldn’t speak a word of English and everything, and everyone, was just a little remote from him, was the love that he had for his sister and the care that he’d taken to keep in touch with her despite having been away from her so much.

_“He’s a good boy, taking care of everyone, how will he balance the team, Taylor, the little pens and everything else with a baby?”_ His mum asked leaning forward just a little and looking a little concerned

_“If anyone can it’ll be Sid,”_ he smiled, _“and I’ll help if he needs.”_ He froze for a second and then quickly added _“and Flower.”_

_“I’m sure you will,”_ she leaned back again, smiling warmly at him and leaving a noticeable pause before she continued _“you and Marc-Andre and the rest of the team once they know.”_

_“Do you think I covered everything?”_ he tried to change the subject, _“Flower says he’ll help with making my English into proper English, but does it make sense in Russian?”_

_“I would give Sidney the child based on what you’ve written. You make him sound wonderful the way you talk about his focus, routines and care for others but the part I like most is where you tell them of his hopes for a family, for something more than hockey and how you know he’s always wanted this like you know that it’s not just a rash decision but something he’s been lucky enough to find right now when he thought he’d have to wait far longer.”_

Geno swallowed hard, tears prickling at his eyes at the memory of the conversations they’d shared over the years about the future, about family and about their hopes for children to watch them play and to take to family skate. He’d allowed himself, in those times, to imagine a future he knew he couldn’t have, a family he’d never be able to reach, and even, once or twice, the family they could share together if Sid was like him and if he was brave enough to admit who he really was.

_“Thanks Mum, I’m sorry to ask you not to tell dad but it’s not my secret.”_

_“It’s okay, I’m sure he’ll find out eventually.”_

_“I’ll let you know as soon as you can tell him I promise.”_ He smiled at her and wished she could reach through the screen for a hug. _“I’ll send some pictures when she’s his, or maybe you can meet her when you come out in the new year.”_

_“I’ll look forward to it. Good luck with the translation, maybe hand in both, then they can hire a translator to read this version too.”_ The ‘too’ was extended into a long yawn and Geno laughed and shook his head.

_“Go to bed mama, sleep well.”_

_“I always sleep better for having spoken to you.”_

_“Love you.”_

_“Love you too.”_


	2. Chapter 2

_Sid: ‘Are you sure he’s not really the father?’_

_Sid: ‘We will need a DNA test to prove he’s not’_

_Sid: ‘Is there a reason he doesn’t want to admit to the relationship?’_

_Sid: ‘Is he pressuring you to give up your child?’_

_Sid: And they’re the ones she told me about while she cried on the phone!_

Geno reached for his phone as it buzzed again and again and again on the seat arm next to him distracting him from the TV, and subtitles, that he was pretending to watch while he waited for an update from Sid on the meeting Jane was having with the adoption worker who was conducting the assessment.

_Geno: Take breath, need make best decision, she not know you best until she meet._

_Sid: but why would I go through all this if the baby was already mine?_

Geno looked at his phone for a long time, tapping in a message and then deleting it a few times before he gave up and wrote something else.

_Geno: Tell me truth if ask hard question?_

_Sid: Always_

_Sid: or at least I’ll try._

He took a deep breath and typed carefully, feeling just a little ill with nerves.

_Geno: You think you be happy people know you fit for sex but not fit for hockey if baby was yours? Think maybe not try hide?_

Five minutes after the message had sent there was still no reply from Sid and searching the internet for ‘how to recall a text message’ had provided no useful answer to solve his problem so he stuffed his phone into his trouser pocket, pulled on his shoes and made it out to his car and through the streets to Sid’s driveway gates before he let himself panic just a little about weather Sid would open the door. 

Tapping in the code to the keypad he sighed when the gates slid open, at least Sid hadn’t cancelled his entry code, he would though now know that it was Geno who was here which was why it was such a surprise when he pulled up in front of the house and the door was propped open, the light in the hall shining through the crack with Sid sitting on the step, backed by the glowing light of the house, smiling and waving at him.

“Hey,” Sid waved as Geno got out of the car.

“Hi,” he waved back trying to cover the nervous tremble of his hand, “Okay I come?”

“Yeah,” Sid smiled shyly and nodded, tapping the stone step next to him, “Hoped you would.”

All the stress and panic of the last twenty minutes left his body in his next breath, replaced by a swelling of his heart and a pain of a different kind.

Taking the tap as invitation he sat down next to Sid, “You not reply after say you will, think I upset, so come see.”

“You didn’t upset me G, just,” Sid leant sideways quickly, bopping his head on Geno’s shoulder, and then sat up again, “You were right, I’d have hated it if anyone thought I was doing that while I wasn’t playing.”

Bumping their shoulders together Geno pulled a smile onto his face and hoped that it didn’t look as forced as it felt, “I sure you careful, not leave evidence,” he huffed a laugh.

“No evidence to leave,” Sid said as he pushed up to his feet, offering a hand which Geno took to pull himself to his feet while his brain tried to process words in English that couldn’t possibly mean what he thought they meant. 

“Drink?” Sid asked, still hold of Geno’s hand and he nodded a little dumbly, stepping forward and then following Sid through the door when he finally let go of his hand.

“No drink soon, too busy with baby.”

Sid turned and grinned widely, eyes shining, “I really hope so, I promise not to let you down though.”

“Let down?” Geno shook his head, smiling at Sid as he grinned back at him, “never let down, you Sidney Crosby, face of NHL.”

“Yeah,” the smile fell from Sid’s face and he turned away, looking out of the kitchen window instead of at Geno and Geno took a step closer, resisting the urge to put his arm around his shoulder and instead just pressed close against his side.

“Is a lot,” Geno almost whispered, “but family worth it, know you want baby someday, now is good someday.”

“Your turn next” Sid leant in against his side, “not like this, not on your own like me, but soon, when you find someone.”

“You Not alone” Geno said without thinking, resting heavier against Sid’s side and he tried not to imagine it, not to see them both here, side by side in Sid’s kitchen, a baby lying in his arms while Sid, rumpled and sleepy, ate food he’d made for him as they chatted to the baby without a moment’s thought for Hockey. “We team.”

-+-

Last night’s game had been horrendous, a five goal shutout against the Panthers, and practice had been hard, fast and quiet, no one wanting to risk drawing the wrath of the coach or wanting to be accused of not taking this situation seriously enough. 

Geno had shot at least a hundred pucks on Flower, moved a mountain of pucks, one at a time, from one end of a stick handling course to another, repeatedly practiced what they should have done better at five on five, and on the powerplay, and he’d skated thirty or more laps of the rink as they all took their punishment for the lack of effort in the game, so he was relieved to collapse in his stall at the end of the session, hopeful to escape before the media arrived, leaving that to Sid.

“I’ve got to,” Sid interrupted his thoughts, waving his phone at him as if it somehow communicated something and, because it was Geno he was talking to, it did.

“You go, I do questions. Come tell?”

“Thanks,” Sid grinned, smile wide but eyes nervous, and Geno pushed to his feet, wobbling slightly on tired legs, still in skates, and reached for Sid, wrapping his hand around his arm, just above his elbow and leaning in close to his ear. 

“Be okay.” He squeezed his arm twice, hoping to be reassuring and the tension in Sid’s muscles ebbed just a little under his hand, “I handle here.”

“Thanks G,” Sid turned his head and looked up at him, weirdly shorter without his skates.

Stepping back into his locker, and releasing his hold on Sid’s arm, he nodded towards the door with his eyes still locked with Sid’s and Sid smiled at him, small and almost secret, and then he ran for the door making Geno laugh.

Media took forever, ten different people asking their own incarnation of ‘why were you so rubbish last night?’ and ‘how did that session ensure that you won’t be rubbish tomorrow?’ was more than enough for Geno.

“Sid abandon you to the vultures?” Bennett asked loudly across the room once the door clicked shut and Geno glared at him, fixing him hard until he looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.

“You do know it’s not just Sid’s job to deal with this shit right?” Flower caught Geno’s eye as he stood up and addressed the room, “He carries a lot for us but when we’re as shit as we were last night the least we can do is take our punishment and answer for it.”

“You on post-game tomorrow,” Geno addressed Bennett, “win, lose, not play, you answer.”

Bennett dropped his eyes to the floor and nodded and Geno moved his gaze to Flower as they shared a quick smile and then he set about removing his gear as quickly as possible, desperate to go and find Sid and find out if the call had been what he thought it was.

Having checked the rooms on the players’ corridor and not found Sid he pulled out his phone and text him instead.

_Geno: where you?_

_Sid: Sat in the car, is Flower with you? Follow me home?_

_Geno: not with me but can find? Will follow. You ok?_

_Sid: Thanks._

He waited for an answer to the rest of the question and when one didn’t come his stomach tightened, the pain travelling up into his chest as he set off at a run, almost knocking Orpik over as he rounded the corner next to the locker room, Orpik and Bennet coming the other way.

“Bloody hell G, where’s the fire.”

“Fuck off!” was all Geno could manage as he carried on moving, throwing the door of the locker room open and stopping himself just before he shouted at Flower. He needed to get himself together, he had to calm down because no one here could know what was happening and in only a few minutes, when he arrived at Sid’s he needed to be ready to help, not be the one falling apart.

“G?” Flower asked carefully and Geno looked him in the eye, clearly communicating everything he couldn’t say out loud because Flower nodded just once, picked up his bag from the bench and shepherded them both quickly through the building and out to his car.

The silence in the car was painful, Sid hadn’t said that he was okay which could mean a whole range of things but it could, possibly, mean that the answer was no, Sid could not have the baby, Sid may have failed at something he’d put his heart and soul into for the first time in his life and it was clear that neither he, nor Flower, had any idea what to do right now.

“Sid,” Flower shouted, opening the front door and leading the way into the house, “Sid, where are you?”

“Kitchen,” came the calm and amused reply and Flower turned back to look at Geno, the panic on his face drifting just a little.

“You okay?” Geno pushed past Flower in the hall, making it to the kitchen first and he stopped dead in the doorway taking in the champagne in the ice bucket on the table and the giant pink cheesecake sat next to it. “You get?”

“Yeah,” Sid grinned and nodded, “I get to have her, not official for months after she’s born but I get to bring her home.”

Geno moved forward quickly, wrapping both arms around Sid and picking him up off the floor, jumping and spinning him around like he’d just scored the OT winner in game seven against the Caps. 

Sid was laughing, grinning ear to ear and red in the face, when Geno finally set him back on the floor.

“Can I get in on this?” Flower asked from the doorway and Geno prayed that his twitch at the surprise of another voice in the room was missed by everyone as he quickly stepped back to allow Flower access for a much more sedate hug and handshake. “My reference made the difference,” Flower grinned and winked.

“Totally on you two, I did nothing,” Sid grinned, “That’s why I got you both cheesecake and champagne,” he waved his hand at the table, “Shall we?” 

Two glasses of champagne and one large slice of cheesecake each later Sid set his fork down on his plate with rather more force than he, or Flower and Geno, expected and Geno eyed him questioningly.

“I’ve got to ring Pat.”

“You haven’t told him already?” Flower sat forward, looking at Sid in confusion and Geno felt his heart skip just a little at the fact that he already knew that and he pinched his thigh to punish himself for the feeling.

“I haven’t told anyone but you two,” Sid glanced between them, “And I’m not telling anyone I don’t have to going forward.”

“Team, front office and family but no press yes?” Flower questioned and Geno knew he didn’t imagine the flinch at the suggestion of family.

“You tell who want to tell,” Geno cut in before Sid replied, let us know who know when and we say nothing, keep secret until ready.”

“Thanks G,” Sid smiled up at him and then he moved his eyes to Flower, “not family, not until they can’t take her away.”

A brick landed in Geno’s stomach at that idea and he reached out his hand to grip Sid’s wrist where it lay on the table, hand wrapped tightly around the stem of his glass.

“No one take, we not let.” Geno squeezed his arm, “No one.”

“Yeah,” Flower smiled, “we got you bud”

“Still got to ring Pat though.”

“We tidy up, make food, you ring.” He squeezed Sid’s wrist again and then released his grip and pushed his arm away and winked at him, “Go.”

“Yes Sir” Sid mock saluted him and stood up, disappearing out of the kitchen and down the hall to his office.

“Can you get home if I leave?” Flower asked standing up and opening the door of the dishwasher to slip his plate in.

“Leave?” 

“Yeah, V just messaged,” 

Geno looked at him in confusion, they’d been sat pretty close together all through the conversation with Sid and he was sure that he’d not heard a phone or seen Flower check it, “Message?”

“Yeah, she wants to catch up about something.”

“You leave phone in car,” Geno stated, suddenly remembering Flower laying it in the gap between the seats as they got in. “Why you leave?”

Standing up, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at Geno, Flower scrubbed his hand over his face and drew in a long breath through his nose before he looked Geno right in the eye making him feel like he was being read from the inside. “He needed two references so he needed me involved, he doesn’t need me now, so I’m going to go.”

Geno jumped out of his seat, heart racing and stomach cramping “I go too, you drop once I make Sid lunch? Let him sort? He not need now,”

“No” Flower clamped his hand on his shoulder, squeezing far too tightly and freezing Geno in place, “You stay right here, right where you’re needed,” he looked deep into Geno’s eyes, and Geno couldn’t look away, “where you want to be.”

Geno opened his mouth to respond but no words came out, what could he say when Flower was right that this was exactly where he wanted to be even if he had absolutely no belief that he was needed, Sidney Crosby never needed anyone which is why he always felt so lucky to be allowed to spend time with him.

“So can you get back?”

Geno nodded, still a little lost in thought.

“Good, tell him I said bye and text if I need to know anything before practice okay?”

“Okay,” Geno nodded and then he reached and pulled Flower closer, wrapping his arms around him “thanks “ he whispered and then released his hold and turned away, opening the door of a cupboard and lifting out two plates and bowls for lunch.

-+-

“Where’s Flower?”

“Had go, V want something,” Geno answered as he turned to put the two bowls of salad on the table next to the glasses of water and protein shakes, “Chicken pasta thing,” he waved at the oven feeling weirdly nervous that he might be asked to leave now Flower wasn’t there, “ready now if want?”

“Thanks,” Sid smiled the crinkly eyed rosy cheeked smile that Geno loved so much, “We should have eaten before the champagne.”

“Should not,” Geno shook his head and winked, “Celebrate need Champagne, allowed be not food plan for hour.” 

“I guess,” he laughed, “the bubbles made talking to Pat easier I think.”

“What he say?”

“Asked why I hadn’t called before now.” 

Geno scowled and pushed the cutlery drawer closed a little too hard.

“Not like that, he thought I might have asked him for a reference because he knows me and my finances and stuff, I told him I’d asked you and Flower so he was happy. I also told him that there is one last thing I have to do before I actually get the green light on this.”

“I thought?” Geno swung round to look at him, eyes wide in panic.

“I have to tell front office and Mario, financials need settling before I can bring her home.”

“Financials?” Geno was confused, people adopted all the time, he’d looked it up, and very few of them had as much money in the bank as Sid.

“If the team won’t let her travel with me then I have to stop playing, cancel my contract and everything.” 

Geno dropped the plate, containing his lunch, hard on the table; he hadn’t even considered that that could be the outcome of this.

“It has to be settled before she’s born or, well I don’t know what happens then.”

“You stop hockey?”

“Hopefully not, Pat thinks they’ll let her travel, but if I have to yes.” Sid dug into his dinner, putting a big forkful in his mouth while Geno just sat staring at him. “This is good, thanks,” Sid grinned around the food and then his face fell when he caught the look on Geno’s face. “It’ll be okay?” he reached out and touched Geno’s hand, breaking the trance.

“Mario let, he will and if no then I not sign new contract.” He said, sure and certain and Sid just smiled at him, eyes glistening and cheeks reddening.

“Pat thinks there won’t be a problem,” Sid spoke, not breaking eye contact with Geno, “but thank you.”

“We play both somewhere even if not penguins.”

“Yeah, both of us.” Sid nodded and squeezed Geno’s hand before he withdrew his and went back to eating his lunch and Geno watched him, imagining seeing him in different colours, in a shirt other than a penguins one. It didn’t look right and he knew, or at least almost knew, that Mario would never let that happen, but it didn’t feel as wrong as that thought always had before, maybe because he would be wearing the same.

-+-

Breakfast had tasted like cardboard, his morning workout had been slow and painful in a way it never was and the seat of his stall was covered in cut glass until the door finally swung open and Sid walked in, head held high, smiling widely and accepting the chirps from the room for almost being late with such an air of not giving a fuck that Geno just knew, he knew that the meeting had gone well and in that second the pain in his muscles and the glass in his seat vanished replaced by a the thrumming need to touch his captain which he wasn’t sure was better or worse.

“Just before skate I need to tell you all something,” Sid stood up and addressed the room and Geno caught Flower’s eye, exchanging glances, and then he focused on the rest of the room, on how other people were reacting to the idea of Sid’s new baby. 

Bennett was wide eyed, vibrating in his seat, Orpik looked confused, as if he couldn’t work out how Sid might have come about a baby, but some of the reactions of other players had Geno moving his hands to the bench next to him and sitting on his fingers. Late last night, after he’d been invited to sleep in the guest room rather than go home, Sid had made him promise not to punch anyone whatever their reaction and he was going to keep his promise.

“Will be fine,” Geno cut in as Sid tried to silence the less pleasant comments in the room by explaining how he was going to make things work without upsetting the team, “we all help with baby, someone always scratched, they cuddle her while you play,” and he was relieved when Flower took up the gauntlet of support but they were quickly back to stupid comments that had no place in the room and certainly no place in addressing their captain.

He listened and he pushed his hands further under his thighs as he watched Sid, eyes closed, hiding from the faces he could see asking questions that they had no right to ask and when he saw the Sid’s shoulders slump, his fists clench and the strength seep just a little from his body he curled his hands into fists, he was going to keep his promise to Sid even now, and rose to his feet pulling up every inch of his height and glared at everyone until the room fell silent.

“Next time someone come in here say have baby I’m ask, where fuck? What position? Who come first? You tell me shut up, not mine know.” Geno took a breath through his bared teeth and glared at every man in the room even Flower who offered him a nod of appreciation. “So here now you shut up, not yours know! She Sid’s baby, she born soon, she travel with team and we all make work!” 

His hands were clenched in the material on his trousers, white knuckled and painful and he was shouting by the time he’d finished, every player paying attention, clearly in full understanding that he was serious as they nodded their agreement. “Good!” he growled, “Now skate!” he shouted and everyone sprang to their feet and scurried out of the door as quickly as they could, Sid and Flower included, leaving him alone in the room.

The moment the door closed he collapsed onto the bench of his stall, releasing his fists and shaking them out by his sides. He had to get a hold of himself, Flower already knew more than he should, or at least thought he did, he didn’t need the rest of the team, especially Sid, working him out, not when things were about to become more difficult anyway.

Closing his eyes and clearing his mind, like he did before every game, he got to his feet and made his way out to the ice just as the whistle went to call them in for the session and he skated every second of the practice at full speed and game intensity which gave him all the excuse he needed to hit just a little bit harder when a guy deserved it and Sid couldn’t even tell him off for breaking his promise.


	3. Chapter 3

“Do you want a lift?” 

Geno jumped at the sound of Flower’s voice, he’d been lost in his phone. “What?”

“From the smile on your face I’m guessing she’s here okay?” he asked quietly, ducking down closer to his ear and probably trying to get a look at the phone.

“No picture,” Flower stood up again looking disappointed, “But she here safe.” he smiled at that.

“So do you want a lift? You’re going to see him right?”

“I ask, he say I should eat and see in morning once they’re home.”

“If I drop you you can drive him home,” Flower smiled far too knowingly at him, “eat together maybe”

“Yes.” Geno nodded, jumping to his feet and grabbing his bag, “come” he almost ran to the car, tapping away on his phone the whole way.

“Can I say something, without you getting weird at me?” Flower asked as soon as they were out of the parking lot and Geno closed his eyes.

“Not promise but try.” Geno answered as honestly as he could as his stomach jumped into his throat.

“You and Sid are two of my favourite people on earth okay.” Geno opened his eyes and nodded at Flower who shot him a glance as they pulled up at a red light, “I love you both and I want you both to be happy however you make that happen. Okay?”

“Okay,” Geno agreed, trying hard to keep his voice level despite his feeling that either he’d made a terrible mistake and revealed far too much about himself, which would probably end up with Sid working it out and kicking him out of his life, or that once again he wasn’t understanding what was being said properly which for once in his life he thought he might prefer.

They travelled in silence, Geno pressing down on his own knee to stop it jumping and fidgeting, until they pulled up outside the main entrance of the hospital.

“Go and see them” Flower turned and grinned, “give them both a hug and a kiss from me.” He winked and Geno nodded. “Don’t drop her”

“Not goalie!” Geno grinned, making Flower laugh, and then he climbed out of the car, waving just once as Flower pulled away, before entering the hospital and trying to follow the directions to his destination.

-+-

Nothing could have prepared him for the view through the tiny window in the door of the hospital room Sid was sat in. A tiny little girl cradled against the uncovered muscles of his chest, muscles that suddenly weren’t the heavy, hard, muscles of the world’s best hockey player but a strong, safe pillow for one perfect little girl.

He’d imagined it, daydreamed on it for years, and more so since the night on the couch in Sid’s den at the deepest darkest point in his recovery when, after a day spent together, talking and laughing, things had suddenly become sad and serious and had ended with them curled together in the corner of the couch talking about their fears for the future and Sid had said, through tears and huffed breaths, “My kids will never know I played, they’ll only know me broken.”

Geno had held him close, stroked his back and kissed his head without caring that he shouldn’t, and he’d prayed that the recovery would come, that he’d have his captain back on the ice and, as much as it would hurt him to his very bones, that his captain would find the girl of his dreams to build a family with, and looking through the window, watching Sid as he gazed down at his daughter, gently touching her hair, her face and her hands, cradling her against his chest as he spoke to her, Geno was pretty sure that his prayers had been answered.

“G” Sid smiled as he pushed the door open and stepped into the room, “You came.”

“Said I come,” he whispered as he smiled back, “I see?”

“Yeah,” Sid pulled the blanket back just a little to reveal a tiny sleeping face and Geno was quickly at his side, crouched next to him and running the back of his finger over the baby’s tiny cheek.

“She beautiful,” he gazed up at Sid from his position by his knee and bit his tongue on the “and so is her daddy” that he really wanted to add.

“She is,” Sid smiled proudly down at her, “They’ve checked her over and everything and, if you were serious about the lift we can go home.”

“Yeah” Geno said, pushing up to his feet.

“Yup, just got to work out how to get her out of here without anyone seeing.”

“Where car?”

“In the lot out front, the seat’s in it ready.”

“Is okay, have plan, you got jacket?”

“Yeah, a jacket and a bag with some clothes for her. I need to get her dressed and put my shirt back on before we go.” He laughed 

“I find clothes?”

“I know where they are,” Sid stood up and gestured to Geno to sit down, “you want to hold her while I find them?”

His heart leaped into his throat, a tingle of excitement running through him and he nodded, “If ok?”

“Of course it’s okay,” Sid beamed, cheeks red and eyes shining.

“Then yes,” he settled into the chair, one elbow resting on the arm to help him support her head.

“Thank you,” Sid said as he handed her over, careful and nervous but not as reticent as Geno had expected. His cousin had looked almost like she was removing her own arm the first time she’d handed her baby over to him but then he saw her only twice a year, at each end of his trip home, and he’d long ago realised that it wasn’t DNA that made you trust people with family.

“No thank, is honour you let.” 

“Any time” Sid said quietly, looking him right in the eye before he quickly turned away, grabbing his bag off the bedside table and heading for the changing table.

Looking down at the baby, eyes closed and face relaxed, Geno spread his huge hand, strong and careful, along her back and took full advantage of Sid’s lack of Russian. _“What a beautiful girl you are,”_ he singsonged at her, _“daddy is so lucky to have you, he’s wanted you so long sweet girl even though he’s only known about you for a few weeks, sent to answer his prayers and mine beautiful girl.”_ He glanced up, catching Sid watching him rather than sorting clothes but then the baby wriggled and drew his attention back to her. _“You’re very lucky to have your daddy, he’s funny, he’s caring, he’s loving, he’s strong, and he tries so hard to be perfect baby girl.”_ He glanced up again and smiled at Sid when he caught his eye. _“Daddy will give you everything you could ever need my sweet baby girl and for as long as he’ll let me I’ll be right here with him, loving you both with all my heart.”_

“You plotting with her already?” Sid finally interrupted and Geno looked up and grinned his wickedest grin.

“Yes!”

There was a long second of silence and then Sid threw back his head, honking a laugh and Geno curled his arms a little tighter around the baby as she jumped slightly in her sleep at the noise.

“You’re going to finally force me to learn aren’t you?”

“No need you learn,” he shook his head, pressing his lips together and trying not to laugh, “just accept we plot.”

Sid laughed again and he hugged the baby tighter feeling a whole range of things all in one moment and not caring if he should or shouldn’t, just allowing himself to enjoy the three of them together for a moment even if it was all pretend.

Approaching slowly, and not breaking eye contact with Geno until he was stood right next to him, Sid picked the baby up from his arms “I think that might get us all in trouble don’t you Soph?” 

“Soph?” Geno questioned as he stood up and followed Sid back to the changing table where he lay the baby down and unwrapped the blanket ready to change her diaper and get her dressed.

“Sophie, that’s your name isn’t it baby girl. Don’t you think she looks like a Sophie?” 

“Sophie perfect name.” he stepped closer, almost leaning his head on Sid’s shoulder as he reached past him and held Sophie’s hand, “You choose?”

“Yeah, I checked it with Jane but yeah, I picked it.”

“Good choice. Beautiful name for beautiful girl.” As he said it Sid turned his head to look at him, their face just inches apart.

“Thank you” he whispered into the tiny space between them and held Geno’s gaze for long enough that Geno almost did something stupid before he suddenly turned away and went back to getting Sophie ready to leave.

-+-

“Is Jane still here? Need see before go?” Geno asked Sid as he came back through the door.

“She’s here, I’ve just seen her so we’re good to go, paperwork done, we’ve just to get her to the car without anyone seeing.”

“I say have plan, have plan.”

“You going to tell me what it is or do I have to guess?”

“You leave game early, you injured yes?”

“No” Sid replied sounding confused.

“Are now,” Geno laughed, standing up from his chair and handing Sophie over, directing Sid to lay her along one arm. “Where jacket?” He glanced around the room.

“On the chair,” Sid waved his free hand in the direction of the folded metal visitors chair beside the door and Geno followed the movement.

Grabbing the jacket and carefully rucking up the left sleeve he slid the cuff over Sid’s hand and pulled the jacket up his arm and across his back before wrapping it around his front and leaning down to slide the bottom of the zip together and then he slowly pull it all the way up concealing Sophie, safe on Sid’s arm, inside.

“I carry bag, you not trip.” Geno winked and smiled but Sid gulped and his eyes widened.

“What if I do?”

“You not fall when on knives on ice,” he bumped their shoulders together gently as he slung the bag up onto his back, “I stay close though, promise.”

“Yeah,” Sid nodded clearly considering things carefully, “Okay, yeah,” he tipped his head up a little to look at him, “Let’s go home.” 

Moving quickly but carefully Geno led the way through the corridors to the elevator and down to the ground floor, his hand always within reach of Sid’s if he felt the need of support, and they were quickly in Sid’s car, laughing as they tried to work out how to fasten the carseat belt around someone so small, a job that got much easier, and much safer, when Sid remembered to remove the coat she was wrapped up in so that the straps would actually tighten around her properly, before he tucked it back in over the top.

“I’ll drive,” Sid said, moving to step back through the gap between the seats.

“No,” Geno put his arm out to fill the gap, “I drive, you sit with baby, keep eye,” 

Sid looked back at Sophie and then at Geno, clearly conflicted about something and Geno turned slightly towards him in his seat and reached up to cover his hand, as it gripped the back of the seat, with his own. “I drive careful,” he said quietly, watching Sid as he relaxed just a little but still looked uneasy. “I promise I get us home safe.” He squeezed Sid’s hand gently, “Promise.”


	4. Chapter 4

Waking to his phone alarm at eight o’clock, only five hours after he went to sleep, Geno jumped out of bed, dragging on his trousers while trying not to fall over his own feet, and then pulled his shirt over his head as he exited the room through the door he’d left open just a little, in case Sid needed him in the night, and he tiptoed towards Sid’s door.

He couldn’t help but smile when he noticed that Sid’s door was also left ajar and then shook his head and rolled his eyes at himself, no way had Sid done it on purpose, he’d probably just not pushed it hard enough with his foot on his way to bed with his arms full of Sophie or he’d been up in the night and already headed downstairs without taking the invitation to disturb him.

Listening at the door for a long moment Geno couldn’t hear anything so, assuming that they were either still asleep or were no longer in there, he made his way quietly downstairs, checking the living room and the dining room on the way to the kitchen but there was still no evidence of Sid and Sophie. 

The empty bottle from last night was still stood by the sink next to the mugs from the hot chocolate they’d shared before they went up but there was no evidence of another bottle so Geno put the kettle on to boil and opened the fridge.

“What you making?” a soft, tired voice said behind him and Geno turned around and smiled, taking in the sight of Sid, sleep fuzzed and cradling his daughter against his chest.

“Breakfast,” 

“Yeah, what we having?”

“Milk.” He waved at the kettle and bottle.

“I’d prefer eggs.” Sid laughed, “Sophie’s fine for now but I’m starving.”

“Starving,” Geno turned to look at him and nodded, “Can’t have Daddy starve can we Sophie, who look after us then?” he turned back to the fridge and pulled out the carton of eggs and some boxes of fruit. “You sleep well for Daddy? Not keep up all night?”

“She did well,” the sentence was lost in a yawn that didn’t really fit with the words.

“Not sound like,” Geno laughed,

“I woke her at six to feed her, the nurse said every three to four hours.”

“You wake? Not Soph?”

“The nurse said,”

“I know the nurse say” Geno interrupted, looking over his shoulder, “just wonder why you wake to wake.”

“I, erm” Sid dropped his eye to the floor, his cheeks blushing as he curled himself around Sophie and looked more than a little embarrassed, “I might have been lying there watching her sleep.”

“So sweet,” Geno smiled at him, watching him relax as he looked back, their eyes locking on each other for a long moment before Sid’s phone beeped in his pocket and drew his attention away while Geno turned back to making breakfast.

Eating quickly Geno finished off his own scrambled eggs and fruit salad and then took advantage of Sid still having food on his plate to claim a cuddle from Sophie as she was just waking up, her eyes flickering open as he held her so that she could watch Sid finish his breakfast which seemed like the right thing to do even though he wasn’t sure if her eyesight was good enough to see that far just yet. 

Her breathing was calm and her tiny heart was beating fast and firm against his arm and suddenly it struck him that this was the moment he’d imagined. Here was Sid, sleep rumpled, eating food that he’d cooked for him, while he cradled a baby in his arms, she wasn’t their baby but she was Sid’s baby and right now that felt like enough.

“You need to feed her before Mario come? I go, come back later?”

“If I make a bottle you fancy feeding her while I shower?” Sid asked, sniffing at his own shirt and Geno laughed and whispered, “Daddy real stink,” to Sophie as Sid glared at him.

“Go sit, I’ll bring this in a minute and then I’ll work on not stinking while this little one makes Uncle G smell of,”

The rest of the words coming out of Sid’s mouth were lost as Geno’s brain stuttered on the Uncle G part of the sentence, his heart jumping and moving in his chest. Uncle wasn’t Papa but then friend wasn’t boyfriend so it was never going to be, but Uncle was something, something more than just Geno.

“Uncle G happy to smell like best baby,” he whispered to Sophie, rolling her over in his arms until she was looking up at him, eyes wide and mouth moving in search of food, as he walked away from Sid. “Uncle G just happy be Uncle G.”

-+-

It felt warm and wet and it was definitely coming from both ends of the bundle in his arms “Sid!” he whisper-shouted, sure that waking Sophie up more would only make things worse. “Sid!” he tried again, a little louder, when he got no response and suddenly there were footsteps running down the stairs and Sid appeared in the door way, shirtless and rubbing his hair dry with a towel while looking slightly panicked.

“What’s wrong with her,” he gasped out before he took in the sight before him and his face cracked into a wide smile, his eyes crinkling shut and he collapsed forward laughing, resting his hands on his knees to keep his balance.

“Not funny,” Geno tried to glare but he could feel the laugher bubbling up inside him as he watched Sid laugh, full bodied and restricting his breathing, as he went red in the face.

“It is from here,” Sid gasped out, still laughing.

“You help not laugh” Geno tried for a glare again but gave up, smiling and shaking his head at Sid instead.

“Sorry, sorry,” Sid’s laugher finally started to calm, “I just can’t believe she got you so good,”

“Not good,” he looked down at Sophie, taking in the state of his shirt, “is messy!” 

“Okay, yeah,” Sid’s face became more serious and he stepped closer, looking Geno over in a way that should not have made him feel quite the way that it was doing “what’s the play?”

Looking up from his seat at Sid looking down at him Geno gulped down a lump in his throat, “Captain’s call,” he said quietly and Sid’s eyes flicked to his and then away again just as quickly.

“I’ll go grab the bath.”

“How long till Mario get here?”

Sid checked his watch, “long enough I think. You staying to help?”

“If want,”

“Yeah,” Sid turned towards the door, “please.” He smiled, “kitchen island?”

“Yes,” Geno took a breath and braced himself, moving to pick up the hem of his shirt and wrap it around Sophie, holding the whole mess inside rather than risk a drip trail from here to the kitchen, and pushed up to his feet. “I get clothes off, you get water.”

“Okay,” Sid nodded and laughed, “We have a play.”

With one hand on Sophie’s tummy, to keep her safe on the changing mat on the island, Geno pulled at the hem of his shirt, inching it up his torso while trying not to spread the mess any further than necessary and wondering how he was going to get it over his head, and more importantly his face, without getting covered in baby poo.

“Need a hand?” Sid asked, sliding the bath of warm water, thermometer resting in it, on to the island next to Sophie and Geno tried not to jump when instead of taking his place keeping Sophie from rolling over and hurting herself so he could use both hands to remove his shirt, Sid slipped his hands around the back hem of the shirt and lifted it up, knuckles ghosting over the muscles of his back, and pulled it over his head, leaving it dangling from his arms, the wet and mess wrapped up inside.

“Thanks,” he said, hoping that the shake in his voice wasn’t as audible outside as it was inside his head.

“I’ll wash it out after; find you something else to wear.”

“You make daddy learn how washer work,” Geno grinned down at Sophie and Sid elbowed him in the side.

“I know how to wash clothes.”

“I’m think not, think cleaning service do.” Geno winked at him and Sid flashed a small smile and then turned his attention to Sophie, starting on the fasteners on her suit

“They certainly won’t be doing that now will they Soph? All on our own now.”

“I help when let.” He nudged Sid’s side, “even if messy.”

“Good,” Sid looked up at him from where he was removing Sophie’s diaper, which had clearly been put on wrong to start with hence the problem, “because this is very definitely a two on one situation.”

Between them they wiped most of the poo and sick off with a cloth before Sid finally decided that she was clean enough to get in the bath, which made them both laugh until they actually tried to lift her in and neither of them could work up the nerve.

“What if she slips? Like wet soap?” Sid looked almost pleadingly up at Geno, “What if I drop her?”

“You not Goalie,” Geno winked and Sid laughed, relaxed a little, just as Geno had hoped that he would. 

“Okay, come on then beautiful girl.” His grip looked gentle but sure as he took a deep breath and put one hand under her head and the other under her bottom and lifted Sophie from her changing mat, lowering her into the bath, her eyes blinking open at the sensation.

“It okay baby,” Geno reached out and stroked her head, lifting water in his cupped hand and washing it through her hair, “Daddy got you safe, we get you cleaned, ready for your guest,” he continued splashing water over her as Sid held her tightly. 

“I wash you while daddy keep you safe,” he reached for the soap, squeezing a little onto his hands and washing over her body and legs, his hands and arms moving around Sid’s, trying not to knock him and lessen his grip while wanting to make sure that he cleaned up everywhere because he didn’t want to have to do this all again in a few minutes simply because he’d missed something. 

“Daddy think you done?” he stepped back and looked at Sid who was still stood almost like a statue but he did manage a small nod.

“Can you get the towel?” Sid asked, nodding at the pile on the chair by the door without moving his arms and Geno moved as quickly as he could to clear the changing mat of the messy clothes, wiping it over with a cloth, and then he laid the towel on it.

“All ready.”

“Thanks,” the muscles of Sid’s back and shoulders looked frozen, held under tension and stress for the whole time Sophie had been in the bath and as he moved to lay Sophie down on the towel Geno saw him wince and twitch as he shook out his shoulders and wrapped the towel around his daughter before lifting her into his arms and cradling her against his chest.

Geno moved closer, reaching out and resting his hand on Sophie’s back, and leaned down to kiss her head, “You did good, first bath.” 

“She did, and we didn’t do too badly either,” Sid smiled at him as he said it and Geno smiled back.

“We good team but you do on own soon.”

“Yeah sorry,” Sid stepped back, eyes dropping to the floor like he was somehow ashamed of having needed help and Geno reached out on instinct and wrapped his hand around the strong muscles of his shoulder, the touch of warm skin running like electric through his fingers.

“No need sorry,” he moved closer keeping his hand on Sid’s arm and putting the other one back next to Sid’s on Sophie’s back. “Just because can do on own not mean have to, is nice you let help but know you best daddy.”

Sid didn’t respond, just curled himself slightly tighter around Sophie and swayed forward resting his forehead on Geno’s shoulder for just a moment before he pulled himself back up straight and offered Sophie over. “You dress her and I’ll go find you a shirt.” 

Geno took Sophie and glanced almost pointedly at Sid’s still naked chest, “Think Daddy need shirt too yes?” He kissed Sophie’s head, “before Mario arrive.”

Sid laughed as he disappeared out of the door leaving Geno to dress Sophie. _“Daddy’s nervous you know beautiful girl, Mario’s opinion matters more than anyone’s, well anyone but yours now I think.”_ He bopped her nose after finishing the fastenings on her vest. _“So if you could try not to make a mess of them like you did me, I think Daddy would be grateful,”_ He pulled a tiny hand through the sleeve of her suit, _“And so would I.”_

“Russian plotting again,” Sid laughed, reappearing in the doorway holding a Steelers hoody that looked big enough to fit.

“Not plot, just talk, not my fault you not learn in all time.”

“Дядя G thinks I know nothing Soph,”

Geno felt his eyes widen and his heart raced twice as fast as it had earlier when Sid had dropped ‘uncle’ on him for the first time. That could have been an impulse or a slip of the tongue but this, learning the right name in a different language, this was deliberate.

“Well,” he started, breathing carefully to control his voice “дядя has to go,” he glanced up at the clock, “Need shower and change before party.” And not to be here when Mario arrived he didn’t say even though he was fairly sure that Sid would be in agreement.

“Thanks for” Sid waved his hands around as if to encompass everything and Geno nodded.

“Not problem” Geno smiled, tugging the hoody over his head, “Be good Soph,” he kissed her head, “And you,” he waved his hand at Sid, “Stop worry!” and then he walked out of the house, picking up Sid’s car keys on the way as his car was still at the arena, and headed home to shower and change.


	5. Chapter 5

“Do bears prowl or just tigers?” Tanger said, a mischievous grin on his face.

“They do, but they’re not as sneaky,” Orpik replied “just do it right there in the open,” he continued, “Getting in the way.”

“Fuck off,” Geno spat out as he made his tenth or fifteenth turn around the players’ lounge, “Not prowl just warm up.”

“The Gym is through the door and down the hall.” Orpik laughed and Geno stopped moving, forcing himself down into one of the chairs across from Flower, his hands gripped in tight fists on his knees and his eyes focused on the floor by his feet.

“You okay?” Tanger slid across the couch he was sat on, moving closer to Geno.

“Am fine,” 

“Yeah, you sound it,” Orpik replied, getting out of his seat, “get your shit together, lift it out or something, I know the Caps are an issue for you and we all know what we need to do about their shitty eight but you losing your head isn’t going to help us beat them.”

Geno took a breath, forcing his hands and fingers to relax and hoping that when he spoke his voice wouldn’t betray the lie, “Just matter you know, beat him.”

“We know,” the other three chorused and Geno smiled just a little, relived that the lie had worked. 

“I’m heading to the gym to hit a bike, you coming?” Tanger asked.

“In few, yes.” 

“I’ll join,” Orpik stood up to lead the way and Tanger followed him towards the door.

“I’ll be there in five, “ Flower shouted after them and then moved seats so that he was right next to Geno and he dropped his volume to little more than a whisper “do you know where he is? Why he’s late?”

Shaking his head instead of replying Geno tried to resist the urge to thump himself in the face for being so obvious.

“You messaged? Called? Been there this morning?” 

Geno shook his head at each questions, “Not mine ask,” he shrugged at Flower and tried not to see the look that he was getting back in return, “Sid be good, just new routine?”

“Yeah probably,” Flower smiled and patted his knee it what he tried not to think of as comfort “the guy still needs his pre game snack though probably.” He smiled and stood up heading towards the door. “I’ll see you in the gym when you’ve done.”

“Yes,” Geno jumped up and almost vaulted the chair in his haste to get to the players kitchen, “I be there in few, catch up quick.”

He’d watched Sid do it a hundred times or more, the order, the quantity, the routine of it and as he set the PB&J sandwich on Sid’s plate on the counter he was quietly confident that it was as near perfect as possible. 

“Warmup” he said to himself, as much an instruction as a reminder, and headed for the door stopping suddenly as it swung open and Sid hurried in looking anxious and almost panicked.

“Hey,” Sid looked at him and smiled, the tensions and anxiety seeming to dissipate a little as he grinned at him.

“Sid,” Geno breathed out, “You here.” 

“Yeah,” he had half the buttons on his shirt undone; reaching inside to lift Sophie out of the wrap he had her secured in around his chest, “Sorry.”

“Give?” he asked, reaching for Sophie while nodding towards the counter, “You late so I make. Eat.” He gestured at the plate, “Not perfect but try.” 

Sid’s eyes widened as he handed Sophie over and Geno held her close. “You did this for me?” 

The shock and almost awe in his voice made Geno’s skin heat, a blush rising on his cheeks so he lifted Sophie up above his head, tipping his head back, hoping the movement would cover his embarrassment. “Daddy need eat doesn’t he Soph”

“Thank you,” Sid all but whispered.

“No thank, just eat.”

Sid stood still just watching them so Geno kept playing with Sophie and tried not to notice as Sid visibly settling into his skin, his game face falling into place, but when he seemed ready for the game Geno headed for the gym, for warm ups, with Sophie small and warm in his arms leaving Sid to eat his pre-game snack.

-+-

_“Daddy scored both goals and we beat Sasha so what should we make him for lunch? He deserves a treat don’t you think?”_ Sophie was awake having woken up as he’d lifted her out of the car seat _“You deserve one too don’t you baby girl, you were so good for grandad Mario even when he cheered Daddy’s goals. Your milk is nearly ready, and Daddy will be here to feed you soon so I can cook, fish I think, don’t you? But first your milk”_

Something fell from the counter behind them and Geno turned around, catching sight of Sid leaning against the door frame watching them. “Hey.” 

“Good shower?” 

“Yeah, I feel better for that, thanks.”

“Milk almost ready, you feed I cook?” 

“Yeah,” he crossed the room reaching for the bottle of milk that was sat cooling in a jug of water and tested the temperature on his arm, “How do you,” he started to ask and then stopped, turning away and ducking his head a little.

“How do what?”

Wriggling his shoulder, a seemingly deliberate movement to force his body to relax, Geno watched as Sid fought his own body and made it turn around and look at him, a slight blush to his cheeks as he raised his eyes only as far as Geno’s chest. “How do you say daddy? In Russian? He added quickly, as if Geno wouldn’t know that that was the question. “Which of those words was you talking about me?” 

“Папа” Geno said quietly, “sound bit like you say for Mario,”

“Papa,” Sid copied, looking down at Sophie lying in Geno’s arms, the word moving around his mouth as he said it a couple more times.

“And that,” Geno interrupted the mumbling, because Sid’s use of Papa in English, as it referred to Mario, he could just about cope with but this, with Sophie led in his arms, was too much. He pointing at the bottle in Sid’s hand as Sophie started to wriggle in his arms and root against his chest, “that is молоко and Sophie would quite like it right now.” he laughed hoping the tightness he felt wasn’t audible, and so did Sid before he quickly took Sophie and settled into a seat at the island, slipping the bottle into her mouth while Geno opened the fridge and pulled out the ingredients for lunch, starting his preparations while all the time trying to ignore the racing of his heart at the mangled, whispered words of Russian that were going on behind him.

-+-

“Time I go,” Geno said, lent against the kitchen doorframe as Sid slipped the last few things into the dishwasher. “Nearly nap time.” 

“Yeah,” Sid yawned as he stood up stretching his arms above his head, “she’s done well today,” he looked at Sophie in Geno’s arms, her eyes growing heavy and ready to sleep, “I could really do with catching up a few hours now though.”

“Me too,” Geno started to yawn but smothered it with his free hand, he had no right to be tired, it wasn’t like it had actually been Sophie who kept him awake last night even if he was lying there worrying about whether she was keeping Sid awake.

“Can you drop something off for me on your way home?” There was a small white envelope on the table and Sid picked it up and offered it over, “It’s not much out of your way.” 

“What is?” he asked as he exchanged Sophie for the envelope, looking at the address and trying to work out where it was.

“It’s just,” the anxiety in Sid’s voice made Geno look up from the envelope, giving him his full attention, “It’s a photo of Sophie, for Jane, for when she’s ready to look.” 

“She not already see when she hold after she born?” he was confused, something suddenly didn’t feel right about this situation. Sid had been to see Jane before they left the hospital but he’d been cuddling Sophie while he did it which at the time had seemed perfectly normal but now things felt slightly off, like he’d missed something that he should have known or seen before and suddenly he became aware that Sid was talking.

“Scared,” he was saying as Geno tried to refocus on the conversation and then, as the realisation dawned, “Scared she might look like him.” The blood drained from him, his head feeling light and he reached to clasp his hand on the back of the chair next to him to stop himself collapsing, his knees wobbling but still needing to move towards Sophie, to feel her safe in her dad’s arms.

How could he not have known? How did he listen to Sid tell them the story of how he met Jane and watch Flower shout and demand answers when he thought Sid had done something awful and not work this out for himself? The feeling of relief that it wasn’t Sid was no excuse for him missing the very real fact that Jane, the woman who carried Sophie inside her, who made her, created her, cared for her and loved her enough to find someone who could love her with every part of themselves had suffered at the hands of someone, some man, who thought that he had the right.

“I take for her,” he whispered, voice breaking in his throat, and his whole body shaking with the need to do something, to offer something in apology for his own stupidity but all he could do in that moment was hope that he wouldn’t be shaken off when he dared to wrap his arm around Sid just wanting, and needing, to hold them both for moment.

Far from shaking him off Sid seemed to relax against his chest, Sophie safely tucked between them and Geno gave himself a moment to enjoy it and to hide from his own stupidity.

“I’m go drop,” he relaxed his hold just a little so Sid could move away if he wanted to, “You two go sleep.”

It took Sid a long moment to make any attempt to move from resting on his chest and even then he didn’t move far until they had plans in place for the morning and Sid had promised to do nothing other than eat and sleep until then.

With things arranged Geno headed out to his car tapping out a message to Flower as he walked.

_Geno: You have girl? Buy flowers yes? Know good flower person?_

_Flower: I’m not sure ‘have’ is how V would put it but I’ve bought her flowers a few times, why?,/i >_

__

__

_Geno: know flower person near Sid?_

_Flower: Florist not flower person :D something I should know?_

_Geno: NO! You know florist or not?_

_Flower: Okay :D I’ll send you the details._

_Geno: Thanks._

He dropped his head to rest on the steering wheel as he waited for the directions to come through, taking some time to decide if he was really going to do this, and when the phone bleeped he quickly transferred the details to his GPS, pressed start and followed the instructions to the shop.

-+-

“Geno Malkin” a young girl behind the counter said as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing, “Mum” she shouted a bit louder and an older woman came bustling through from the back of the shop looking slightly concerned until she laid eyes on him at which point she just looked as disbelieving as her daughter had.

“Mr Malkin,” the woman finally stepped forward and offered her hand, “How can we help you.”

“Thank flowers?” he asked, wringing his hands together and wishing he’d not told Flower no and instead asked him for the right words to get what he wanted.

“Flowers to say thank you to some one?” The woman asked with a kind smile and he nodded. “Man or a woman?” he tried not to pull a confused face, did men normally buy flowers for men or was she really asking a different question? Catherine had bought Sid flowers for the baby shower but he was sure that that was different than this.

“Woman.”

She smiled at him, walking around the small shop looking at all the different vases of flowers as if considering something.

“How big a thank you are you looking for?” she asked.

“Big but pretty not too,” he waved his hands about trying to communicate loud, over the top, unnecessary or whatever the right word was for bunches of flowers that cost lots of money but no one actually liked.

“Okay,” she nodded, smiling warmly at him as if she understood even without the words and then she moved around the shop, vase to vase to vase, pulling out flowers of five or more varieties all in different shades of yellow and white, until her hand was full. “What do you think?” she showed him the bouquet, turning it to all directions for him and he nodded, amazed at what she’d put together so quickly.

“Sarah,” she spoke to the girl behind the desk who was lost somewhere in a day dream, “Black wrap, white tissue, golden half inch ribbon.” 

“Yes mum,” Sarah jumped up grabbing the things she’d been asked for and layered them out on the counter, her mum placing the flowers and some added greenery on the wrap and securing it all together so quickly that he missed how it was actually done.

“Is that all okay Mr Malkin?” the lady asked, holding up the bouquet for his assessment.

“Perfect” he smiled, pulling out his wallet, “How much I owe?”

“Seventy,” she said almost apologetically and Geno nodded, pulling some notes from his wallet.

“You have card? For message?” He glanced around the shelves behind where Sarah was sat, photo frames, small cuddly bears, boxes of chocolates and a number of other things stacked on them.

“Yeah,” Sarah picked up a box of card from the bottom shelf and set them on the counter, they’re a dollar.”

“Okay,” he leafed through the box until he found some with cartoon penguins on. He lifted the whole pile of them out turning them over in his hand until he found the perfect one, two penguins, one big one small, on an iceberg with hockey sticks and then he put the rest back. “Have pen?” he asked, “Know cheek but only sharpie in pocket, not good little card,” he pulled his autograph writing pen out of his pocket and quirked a grin.

“Yeah,” Sarah pulled a pen from her pocket, “I’ll swap you for an autograph?”

“Sarah!” her mum said sharply “Don’t be rude to customers.”

“Is ok,” Geno laughed, “think fair swap if you say?” and Sarah’s mum smiled her agreement so he scrawled his autograph on the business card Sarah pushed towards him and then borrowed her pen, turning away to lean on a shelf to write the card without anyone seeing ‘she beautiful, thank you’ and slipped it into the envelope and into the top of the flowers.

“So that’s seventy one dollars” the mum said and Sarah laughed as did Geno,

“Perfect number,” he winked at Sarah who grinned back and then he dropped a hundred on the counter, “rest for lend pen.”

Both Sarah and her mum laughed at that and he picked up the flowers and headed out of the door, waving as he went, and moved quickly to drive the short distance to Jane’s house, putting the flowers and the envelope Sid had given him, down in the porch, and driving away before he could think better of it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry its been a while, who would have thought that school holidays could get in the way of writing when we'd been home schooling since March anyway but hey ho, that's how it goes :-D

_Sid: Jack was so happy to meet her!_

_Sid: He bought her a cot! The room’s all set up for us, it’s almost like home :-)_

_Sid: I think he’s in love! [Photo of Jack sat on the counter feeding Sophie.]_

Geno glared at the photo Sid had sent, Johnson was looking at Sophie in a way that he had no right to be although of course he did, Johnson was Sid’s best friend, had been for years, so of course he’d be excited to meet his daughter and Sid didn’t throw the word love around easily, using it for how he was with his daughter meant something even if he hated that it did.

Throwing the phone onto the bed and watching it jump a foot with the force he rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his hands, refusing to acknowledge the wetness that was coming from them as he bit the inside of his cheek and tried to pull himself together.

His phone beeped again and he wiped his wet hand on the bedsheets and picked it up, clicking it open.

_Sid: Jack fed her while I made and ate supper so we’re off to bed now, I hope you and the guys are all settled. Enjoy tomorrow._

Geno stared at the phone, his vision blurring with tears he couldn’t fight and which he’d blame on post back to back exhaustion if his heart and head weren’t traitors to the real reason, and as the screen timed out, and went blank, he dropped it onto the bed next to him and curled up on his side, wrapping his arms around himself and giving in to the tears.

The alarm rang at eight and he tapped his phone to turn off the noise but then rolled himself off the bed without looking at it. He’d never made it under the covers, he hadn’t even made it out of his pants and shirt, he’d just fallen asleep with tears running down his face taking all the tension and worry with them.

He hadn’t been sleeping very well since Sophie was born, the first night when he’d stayed over with Sid had been pretty good but since then he’d been struggling to settle, constantly checking his phone and waking up to phantom crying noises at least once a night which, coupled with all the ways that he was torturing himself by spending so much time with them, had left him in a tired messy state. Last night though, with Sid and Sophie away with Johnson, he’d slept the whole night through and he just couldn’t make sense of why that was when he’d been so unreasonably jealous at the texts.

“Shower” he said to himself and let his body take him through the well-practised routine of shower, shave, dressed and down to breakfast where he picked a table as far as possible from the other three people in the room and tucked into a large plate of scrambled eggs, tomatoes and ham, with toast and two large cups of coffee so he didn’t have to get up again, and hoped that no one would bother him not that he was that lucky.

“A Two coffee day?” Flower laughed as he slipped into the seat next to him, “That bad a night?”

“No,” Geno said before he filled him mouth with another fork full of tomatoes.

“You heard from Sid?” Flower continued as if Geno wasn’t being a bad tempered asshole. “Is he having fun with Jack?”

“Yes” he filled his mouth with toast this time and tried to ignore the way Flower was looking at him.

“So team bonding,” Flower said a long moment later, clearly changing the subject and Geno nodded,

“Driving range, should be fun.” Was all he could offer but Flower seemed to accept it and they both turned their focus on to their breakfasts.

_Sid: Morning :-) I hope you slept ok, Sophie did well. Enjoy the day with the guys._

Geno looked at his phone and smiled, a sudden feeling of warmth in his chest, and then he clenched his fists and ground his teeth, angry at himself again. Sid was always polite, keeping in touch while he was with Johnson didn’t mean anything and he certainly didn’t mean anything by saying he hoped Geno had slept okay. 

_Glad she did good hope you slept well too._ He tapped into his phone, the first attempt at a reply since they’d split up at the airport, but he just couldn’t bring himself to press send, saving it to drafts instead, before grabbing his jacket and heading down to the lobby to meet the rest of the guys.

The trip took nearly an hour, for reasons known better to the traffic than the distance, and sitting still wasn’t helping Geno’s mood, he needed to be moving, to be doing something other than sitting still. Suddenly his pocket beeped and he pulled out his phone.

_Sid: Jack left the instructions, I know how to work two washing machines now HAHA, you impressed? [Photo of a pile of clean baby clothes stacked on a table]_

Laughing despite himself he grinned down at his phone and tapped out, _very impress, be cooking next_ but before he could hit send Orpik interrupted him from across the aisle with “I hope you’re not disturbing Cap on the one day he gets with his only friend.” 

He was laughing like it was the funniest joke in the world instead of a knife to Geno’s chest.

“Fuck off,” Geno retorted, his voice clearer than it had any right to be given the way his insides were turning over, but he deleted the message, Brooks was probably right, this was Sid’s time with Johnson, he shouldn’t be disturbing it.

The first swing, the clunk of the ball on the club, released something in his chest, the tenth had his arms feeling looser, the thirtieth took the last of the tension from his back and the fifty-third had his focus narrowed to the point that it actually went where he’d intended it too even though the rest of the team had reach the point of whooping and cheering every ball as he failed to seed his position to anyone despite their complaining.

“I done,” he finally turned, handing the club off to Beau who was patiently waiting his turn without any complaint, as if he knew that Geno needed this, while everyone else chirped him for over staying his turn. “Stop complain,” he grinned at everyone, feeling calmer than he had in days, “have all afternoon, I just watch now.” 

Tanger laughed, picking up a bottle of water from one of the tables they’d commandeered and offering it over, patting the seat next to him in invite and Geno sat down, tapping their bottles together in a cheers motion and set about chirping Flower, who was ten balls in, three slots over, for his terrible aim.

“You feeling better now?” Tanger asked in little more than a whisper once every one else had returned their attention to the range.

“Feel fine.”

“Good,” he tipped back a large gulp of his drink, “You seemed a bit off, glad you’re better.” Geno looked sideways at Tanger who caught his eye and quirked a smile “It must be strange without them.”

His heart rate shot up and for a quick moment Geno felt anger rise but as quick as it came it went again, this was Kris not just a random member of the team, “Sophie not got good swing,” he laughed a little.

“Probably better than Sid’s,” Tanger grinned and Geno laughed again knocking back his drink and settling back in his chair feeling calm and finally enjoying his time with the team.

-+-

Stretching against the mattress Geno smiled up at the ceiling, he was warm and calm and relaxed and he’d slept the whole night through for the second night in a row but this time without the tears and waking up he felt like a new person, all ready to get on with his day until his phone beeped next to him.

Rolling over and dropping his legs over the side of the bed to sit up, he flipped open the case on his phone and tapped on the message.

_Sid: Do you think this counts as using Sophie to mess with his game? :D [Photo of Jack asleep on the couch with Sophie asleep on his chest]_

He closed the case again and sat it down on the bedside table more gently than he wanted to for fear of breaking it, and pulled on his sweats and Sid’s Steelers hoody that he had never returned, and Sid hadn’t asked for back even when he’d seen him wearing it, and headed down for breakfast.

“Geno!” Beau waved he walked into the room, “we need you.”

“Breakfast,” he waved at the buffet table hoping to indicate that food was very much the priority right now and Beau nodded,

“Seat here when your plates full,” Beau smiled wide in a way that Geno knew he couldn’t say no to so he resigned himself to doing his job as alternate while the captain was away and to be fair to Beau a discussion about the game and about how they were going to make a mess of Columbus’ defence was probably what he really needed to take the edge off his anger at Johnson doing what he should have been doing or what he wanted to be doing at least.

“Coach was saying,” Beau started talking as soon as Geno sat down and he tried to listen as he set about his ham and eggs, fruit and toast with honey and he tried his best to listen and make sense of the question as he ignored the repeated beep and vibration of his phone in his pocket.

“I show you,” Geno finally cut Beau off from a rambling question about a corner play that coach had talked them through a couple of days ago, “I show at skate, after coach say we done, okay?” 

“Yeah” Beau gave him such a wide and grateful smile that he couldn’t help smile back, “Thanks G, I should go, leave you alone for a bit, sorry.” His phone beeped again in his pocket and Beau turned to walk again, casting an amused grin at him, “I’ll let you deal with that, see you on the bus.”

It was a relief to slip into his seat on the bus and be left alone but he knew he couldn’t ignore his phone any longer, it might be something important, and he’d already ignored it through finishing his breakfast, going back to his room to change and collect his things and then walking out to the bus, so he pulled it from his pocket and squeezed it just a little tighter when the screen read мама not Sid

_Mama: Your father’s worried about you, he says you haven’t called him in a while and he saw the messages yesterday with your teammates saying you were angry or something._

_Mama: I know you’ve been busy with Sophie and Sid but he doesn’t know that._

_Mama: I’m worried too, I don’t know if you were angry yesterday, or sad, or something. You said Sid was staying with his other friend? It’s hard to miss people, I worry about you my sweet boy._

Reading the messages over and over, wishing that he could reach through the phone for a hug, he tried to formulate an answer that somehow didn’t say ‘I’m jealous of Sid being with Johnson, and Johnson cuddling Sophie, because Sid should always be with me and Sophie should be mine’ but he failed to come up with anything useful.

_Geno: Sorry he’s worried mama and sorry that I asked you to keep the secret. I’ll talk to Sid when I see him again and see if it’s okay to tell papa._

His phone beeped again before he got it back in his pocket.

_Mama: Ask but don’t push, your papa will be fine until Sid’s ready, it’s a tough time for you both getting used to having Sophie around don’t make it harder than it needs to be._

For the four hundred and fifth third time in his life or maybe the seven hundred and ninety sixth, he’d lost count somewhere around the age of nineteen, he wished that he could just tell his mother, put into words the thing about himself that he was sure she knew and had always known, but he just couldn’t find the words, so instead he told that her he loved her and hoped that she heard the real words anyway.

_Geno: I love you mama, papa too._

_Mama: Love you too my special boy, play hard tonight._


	7. Chapter 7

Morning skate had been fast and short, the way it always was after a day off but with a game that night and Geno came off the ice ready to get back to the hotel for lunch and a nap before the pregame tape review later and with the hope that somewhere in there he might catch a few minutes with Sid and Sophie if he wasn’t going back to Johnson’s.

“If you need to sleep I can take her,” Jake said behind him as he was returning Sophie to Sid’s stall and the sudden spike of anger in his belly was almost uncontrollable so he fisting a grip into the shirt lying on the bench and pushed it into his bag even though it should probably have been left for the equipment team. Losing Sid, and Sophie, to Johnson for thirty six hours was one thing but having to compete with Jake, who already got alone time with Sophie in a way that Geno could only wish for, just wasn’t fair.

Blood was rushing in his ears and he didn’t hear Sid’s answer over his own pulse and the fight he was having with his bag until he caught his name. 

“Uncle G will help with lunch aren’t we Soph?” 

“Not go Johnson’s?” He snapped without looking up and immediately mentally thumped himself in the head for being an idiot.

“Not on a game day G.” Geno felt Sid move closer; his voice sounding off in the way that it did when he felt like he’d done something wrong but didn’t know what. “Have I missed something? Or done something?”

Letting go of the shirt in his hand but too embarrassed to look up and meet Sid’s eyes he tried to calm his voice before he lied to Sid, pretending that he hadn’t ignored multiple messages since they’d landed in the Columbus. “Have fun with Johnson?”

“Yeah, I got all this ones clothes washed and her bottles sorted,” Sid laughed, not making any comment about the fact that Geno should already have known this from the messages he’d sent “We ate, slept and watched a film, nothing special.” 

“He like Sophie,” He asked as if he needed to hurt himself more to make up for ignoring Sid’s messages.

“Yeah,” He could hear the smile on Sid face even though he still couldn’t bring himself to look at him, “he was great with her, bought her a cot and everything.” 

“He want you stay lots?” He knew that they played in Columbus again this season and that it made sense that Sid would stay with Johnson then too but he still didn’t like the idea.

“Nah he was just excited, wanted us to be comfortable you know, he never expected it, the baby, my baby.” Sid voice dropped to little more than a whisper, like there was a secret there that Johnson knew and Sid thought Geno did too.

“He not think you ever?” Geno turned his head, looking at Sophie for the first time, and put down his bag to stroke her cheek making her turn her head towards him.

“Not while I was playing” Sid said quietly with a pain in his voice that made him want to reach out and touch him, “maybe not after,” he continued, looking distant for a long moment before he pulled a smile back on his face and looked at Geno’s hand where it was now gripped in Sophie’s. “He was excited; it was nice to see him.” Sid finally caught his eye, smiling brightly. “We missed uncle G though didn’t we sweetheart.”

Geno felt his heart skip and he flashing a grin at Sid and then looked back to Sophie. “Uncle G miss you too baby, you and daddy.”

There was a long moment of silence, the room around them having cleared out and both of them just looking down at Sophie but finally Sid spoke again, “Room service lunch? You can feed her if you want.” He added sounding more like a question than it normally did, as if he thought he might say no.

“Yes!” Geno grinned and picked Sophie up out of Sid’s arms, cuddling her close to his chest and feeling a rush of relief to have her back in his arms “I feed while daddy eat”

He heard Sid laugh as he walked away towards the door leaving his bag on the bench and trusting that Sid would pick it up for him and he tucked his mouth close to Sophie’s ear, “I missed you baby girl, I missed your daddy to. I hope you’re going to sleep well for him this afternoon, wish I could stay with you but I’ll only be down the hall if either of you need me.” 

He stopped talking as he boarded the bus, Sid’s Russian was rubbish but he couldn’t be certain about everyone else’s and he wasn’t going to risk anyone understanding him, Sophie would grow up hearing him tell her that he loved her and that he loved her daddy, even if she never actually understood the words, but the words were just between them, their little secret forever.

-+-

“Having a day room is weird.” Sid dropped his bag on the bed nearest the door and eyed the other one as if it had invaded his space without permission. “I feel like a rookie again, having to share.” 

“This one Sophie’s no?” Geno laughed, unzipping his jacket and lifting Sophie up for a kiss before lying her in the middle of the spare bed and sitting down next to her, pulling open her sleep suit so that he could tickle her toes and try and keep her awake a little longer.

“No,” Sid shook his head and pulled a rolled up something from his bag, shaking it out before laying it on top of the blankets on the right side of his bed. 

“What that?”

“It’s her travel cot, or travel co-sleeper to be more accurate.”

“What?” He stood up, stepping closer to look at the contraption which seemed to be two form rolls connected by a flat piece of material that was just a little bigger than the changing mat Sid carried in his bag.

“Pass her here,” Sid gestured for Sophie and he picked her up and passed her over and then watched as Sid settled her between the two rolls. “She can’t roll over, I can’t roll on her and this,” he picked up a blanket that had Velcro all around the edges and secured at the bottom of the mat and down both sides, keeps her warm and stops her slipping down under the covers. Jake suggested it; he thought it’d be easier to hide than a crib.

“Yes,” Geno laughed, “he have some good ideas.”

“He does, but Tanger has the best ones.”

“The carrier good too yes,” Geno nodded and sat back on the spare bed, Sid walking around the other one until he could pick Sophie up out of her cot and pass her back to Geno.

“Yeah the carrier was a good one but today’s was better.”

There was a knock on the door and Geno felt his heart speed up and his arms tightened around Sophie. “What we do? Who be? I take in bathroom?” He stood up stepping towards the bathroom door.

“Sit down,” Sid waved his hand,” don’t panic.”

“But.”

“Seriously,” Sid moved to the door and pulled it open and Geno dropped back on to the bed as he saw Tanger, two large and two small takeout boxes in his hands. “Thanks.” Tanger handed the boxes over, waved at Geno through the door and then turned and walked away as Sid pushed the door closed with his foot. “Tanger’s home delivery” he grinned, eyes sparkling, “safer than room service and twice as likely to be what we actually want to eat.”

“He bring from team dinner?”

“Yup, he suggested it at skate and it seemed like a great idea.”

“When you tell him I need too?” 

“Well,” Sid turned away putting the boxes down on top of the desk at the bottom of the bed and fiddling with something, “I sort of assumed you’d be here, hoped anyway so I said that when he asked.”

It was moments like this, quiet moments just the two of them, when Sid got shy and awkward, when he admitted to assuming that they would be together, doing something just them, that Geno let himself wonder what would happen if he ever braved the conversation, if one time when they were talking about the future, or about families and children or when they were just together doing something mundane like washing dishes or folding clothes he said, out loud, how much he always wanted them to be together. He wondered what Sid would say, whether he’d understand the words or just take them as confirmation of their friendship, their determination to play and win together until their careers were done.

“What we got?” He said instead of anything else as he crossed the room, coming up right behind Sid and leaning over his shoulder, not quite resting his chin on it.

“Pasta and chicken for me and fish and rice for you.” Sid smiled turning his head to look at him, “and fruit for you because this chocolate tart Tanger’s slipped in must be for me.”

“I’m think Kris think we share.” 

“You think?” Sid’s eyes were sparkling with mischief and his face, and lips, were only a couple of inches from his. Geno didn’t pull back.

“He know you like me.”

“Yeah,” Sid nodded, his eyes dark and open and Geno thought again about saying something, or more accurately he thought about leaning forward a couple of inches and kissing him but, just like every other time, he resisted the urge and instead he reached past him to pick up his dinner and stepped away moving back towards the spare bed and settling himself against the headboard before tucking in.

-+-

“Mama text me earlier,” he said around a fork full of rice.

“Yeah?”

“She see Brooks messages, worry.”

“Messages? When did Brooks start messaging your mum?” Sid sounded so confused that he couldn’t help but laugh, loud and strong enough to make the bed jump, startling Sophie, her face crinkling as she let out a loud cry.

He dropped his plate from his knee and was on his feet, Sophie against his chest, rocking her gently and whispering calming words to her before Sid had time to react and once she stopped crying he grinned at Sid who was looking right back at him.

“If Brooks text mama I kill or papa kill so she certain not tell.” He chuckled. “You know Twitter yes?”

“Yeah” Sid closed his eyes and pulled his head into his shoulder trying to hide his embarrassment, “that makes more sense.” And then he suddenly lifted his head back up, shoulder set and eyes worried and sharply focused on Geno. “What did he say that worried your mum? Are you okay?” He’d put his plate down on the bed and got to his feet moving forward until he was just a step away.

“I’m okay,” he said it in little more than a whisper, eyes and breath caught on the look on Sid’s face.

“Show me what he wrote?”

“Phone in pocket.” Without breaking eye contact he moved his hand to lift Sophie from his chest, ready to pass her over so that he could get his phone from the pocket of his jeans but before he had chance Sid slipped his fingers into his pocket and pulled it out, tapping the screen to bring it to life.

There was a password but that didn’t seem to hinder him at all and then he was scrolling through a list that was mostly in Russian until he stopped, eyes tracing the screen looking more and more concerned.

“I can see why she was worried,” Sid said quietly, drifting just a little closer, the heat radiating from him a very present sensation between them “are you okay?”

“I okay now,” he squeezed Sophie just a little tighter and tilted himself forward bopping his forehead to Sid’s and just resting there, Sophie tucked between them. “Mama want to know if okay tell papa about baby? Not push but ask, she know is secret but I not talk to papa so he worry when he see team say I’m not happy.”

“Your mum knows?” Sid asked it quietly but it still felt like an accusation.

“She help with reference, you say secret so not know who ask for help but know mama keep secret.”

“Did she write it for you?” There was something that sounded much more like disappointment than anger now.

“No, I write, mama just check I not say wrong thing” (I needed her to check that it was a reference and not a love letter he doesn’t say). “She likes you, better than me I think,”

“She’s a good woman,” Sid smiled just a little as he stepped away, watching him with the same intensity he watch a puck, “but you aren’t talking to your dad because of Sophie?”

“Because I not like lie, like spend time with you not home but can’t speak Papa with Sophie and not tell, feel wrong.” The words were coming without control, everything spilling out like a dam had been breached and there was nothing to stop them now. “I know Sophie yours not mine, your secret, know why you keep and know not mine tell. Sorry.” He finally managed to make his mouth stop moving and then he dared to look at Sid who was still holding his phone but now it was trained on him.

“Smile” he said as if that was the appropriate response to the mass of words Geno had just thrown at him, and then he heard the shutter click before Sid moved closer, changing the angle and the phone clicked again. “What do you think?” He turned the phone to show him the pictures, the first one an upper body shot, Sophie stretched the length of his chest and his huge hands firm again her tiny back and the second just their faces, Sophie’s tiny face, eyes open wide, tucked up under his chin.

His breath caught in his throat at the sight, he’d taken pictures of Sophie before, on Sid’s phone or camera, but he’d never seen any on his phone and he’d certainly not seen himself like this. “She beautiful” 

“Yeah,” Sid nodded, “it’s a really beautiful picture” he almost whispered and then turned away quickly, dropping the phone on the bed next to Geno’s dinner. “You can send it to your mum and dad if you want” 

“Is okay?” Geno felt his heart leap.

“You trust them,” Sid smiled as he turned back and took Sophie into his arms before lying her down next to the phone and returning to his place in his bed to finish his dinner, “so I trust them.”

-+-

“Shush, shush, don’t wake дядя he needs his nap and we don’t want him to regret having stayed with us.”

Geno smiled to himself and shook his head at the very idea of him wishing he wasn’t right where he was.

“You’ve been such a good girl sleeping for daddy; Granda Mario is looking forward to seeing you.” 

His eyes flickered open as he fully surfaced from his sleep and he stretched against the bed.

“Look who’s awake.” Sid’s voice sounded just the same now that Geno’s eyes were open as his dream voice had in his sleep, “Did you wake дядя Soph?”

“No,” Geno yawned and moved his arms above his head contorting his body to stretch out every muscle, “папа woke дядя up telling Sophie not too.” He rolled onto his side and grinned over at Sid who was sat on the other bed, back against the headboard and knees pulled up, Sophie leaning on them, looking at him and holding his finger.

“Daddy’s very sorry,” Geno tried not to flinch at the very deliberate correction of папа to Daddy “hopefully дядя will forgive him.”

“No need forgive,” he sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, moving across the gap between the beds, “Just need wake up cuddle,” he leaned down intending to steal Sophie from Sid’s lap but he stopped suddenly, his words flashing back through his brain, when a warm, calloused hand skirted across the bare skin of his bicep, down over his shoulder blade and came to rest across his spine, pulling him closer.

Between one breath and the next he relaxed down onto the bed next to Sid, settling against his side with Sid’s arm wrapped around his back holding him there, safe and warm and he stroked his finger gently over Sophie’s cheek. “Thank for let me nap here,” he said to Sophie hoping that Sid would know that he was really talking to him and his heart jumped in his chest, his stomach doing summersaults when Sid squeezed his arm tighter around him and placed something that felt almost like a kiss to his head.


End file.
